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OPINION

Immigrants need sanctuary

Ventura
Published 5:45 p.m. PT Dec. 13, 2016

Associated Press Faithful and tourists call out to Pope Francis as he arrives for his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on Wednesday.(Photo: Andrew Medichini)

When Pope Francis visited the United States, he made a plea to Congress and the people to aid immigrants. This country is made of immigrants, he told Congress as millions watched on TV.

He talked about his experience as a child in Argentina, the son of immigrants from Italy, and how he overcome the obstacles and understood the plea of immigrants. “Please open the doors to the refugees,” he eloquently said

The Catholic bishops recently sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump, stating they would defend the rights of immigrants. His major proposals as a presidential candidate was to build a wall between Mexico and the United States, and to deport millions of “illegals.”

We need to build sanctuaries throughout the city of Oxnard and the United States. All Christian churches have a duty to make their parishes sanctuaries to aid the immigrants of Ventura County.

Ventura County farmers earn $1.5 billion a year from agriculture. Most of the farmworkers are immigrants, and they should be helped if Trump is going to deport and separate families. In addition, I am calling for the city of Oxnard to become a sanctuary, to defend the rights of immigrants.

When Joseph and Mary were looking for a place to sleep, they found an asylum — a sanctuary — and thus Jesus Christ was born, the Prince of Peace.

Antonio Beltran Garcia, Oxnard

Read or Share this story: https://www.vcstar.com/story/opinion/readers/2016/12/13/immigrants-need-sanctuary/95403078/